The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-09-20
Facts of the Ute " War. I"


1t is reported-but the thing seems
lncredible-that the Colorado State
authorities are making efforts to get
the bill for their recent Ute barbecue
paid, in whole or in part, by the gen.
eral government. II there be any
truth In the report there can hardly be
any doubt rs to the fate which such a
prepostcrous demand is destined TO
meet. The Coloradians had all the
fun of the fair, such asst was, TO them
selves. The United States army otli-
GERS, who thoroughly understood the
situation, declined to take any part III
the operations. The war"-unlcss
the newspaper correspondents arc ut
terly untrustworthy-w was a carefully
planned conspiracy, in which Sheriff!
Kendall played the part of head bravo.
Endeavors arc now being mace III
Colorado to throw the responsibility
of everything that occurred on Ken
dall's shoulders. But it has been
pointed out that unless the sheriff had
been sustained by public opinion he
would not have been able to act.
Nobody now prctcnds that Cole
row was on the warpath, or had any IN
tention of going on the warpath.
lie was indeed away from his reser-
walton, but was returning thlther
from hunting trip with band OF
fifty or sixty, including women
and children, when he was net by
Sheriff Kendall. Indians do not take
women and children with them when
they are on the warpath. There was
also large number of horses aud cat
tie with the band. Kendall had war
rant for the arrest Of some OF Colo
rows bucks on trumped-up charge,
but Colorow refused to surrender them
Kendall did not consider his posse
strong enough to engage the indians,
80 he pledged himself not to modest
them if they continued on their way
to the reservation. Subsequently,
however, being joined by the militia,
he pursued the Indians and attacked
their camp. After a fight lasting
couple of hours the whites were beat
ell of, but succeeded in capturing
some cattle and horses. This was the
great "battle," of which we were told
at the time that Colorow was strong
ly entrenched with 600 or 700 braves,
and that the fighting had lasted from
1880 a. III. to 2:30 p. IN. AS 10 the
casualties among the Indians, it APP
pears certain that papoose was
tranpled to death and squaw shot.
Prominent Coloradians claim that two
and possible three bucks were also
killed. But Indian Agent Byrnes aud
Colorow himself deny this, and declare
that not single buck went to the
happy hunting grounds.
Summing up the results of the CAM
paign. it would seem that the Indians
lost one woman, one child and some
cows and ponies, as against three or
four white men killed or mortally
wounded, and that the warrants, in
order 10 serve which the State forces
took the field were not served after all.
And to attain these somewhat inglorl-
GUS results, the expenditure was, i is
said, from $4,000 TO 100000. The
amount may look big; but then the
Coloradians conducted operations on
q scale of princely liberality. One of
the militia, who is described as a vet
eran of the late war, and who was
naturally good deal Disguised with
the whole performance, is reported as
saying, among other things:
The cowboys were anxious to stir
up row, so that they might get emf
ployment as scouts or carriers, or sell
their crippled ponies and wornout
saddles TO the State, or get hold OF
some of the Indians stock. The
scouts were by all odds the biggest
liars | ever saw. They would 60 out
in the morning, find snug retreat for
the day. perhaps in some watermelon
patch. and come in at night with stor-
les of hundreds of Indians seen Turk
ing in the vicinity. They kept this up
us long as they could, for of course
they wanted TO keep the cruel war
a-going and get their little So a day
and pickings" as long as possible.
On the whole the payment of their
little bill may do the people of Col
orado some good. 1t may show them
that even Il small war is mn expensive
business, and that Indian wars in par
ticular are 10 be avoided, the game
being seldom worth the CANDLE
Times-D Democrat.
THE number of State elections TAX
ing place in November this year is
unusually small. In six only of the
thirty-eight Commonwealth will
State officers be chosen in that month
this year. These are Iowa, Maryland
Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and